Triclosan In Your Home and In Your Body

If you haven’t heard of Triclosan, you should know that is in a number of products that you may be using on a daily basis. Triclosan was introduced to the marketplace in 1972, although it was originally developed and registered as a pesticide in 1969. At that time it was used in hospitals and health care settings for its antibacterial properties.

Triclosan can now be found in numerous products that you may not even be aware of, such as bedding, surgical scrubs, pesticides, antibacterial soaps, cutting boards, toothpaste, shoes and toys, to name a few. Because it is used in such a wide range of products, it is regulated by three different government agencies the FDA, the EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The FDA has been working for over 38 years to establish the rules for the use of Triclosan without success. Since the United States chemical policy is part of the Toxic Substances Control Act, chemical testing is voluntary. The burden of proof lies with researchers, consumers and the chemical industry itself.

Research into Triclosans effect on our health and the environment is in its early stages.

Studies have found that Triclosan does persist in the environment, contributes to bacterial resistance and does cause adverse health problems in humans and wildlife, one of the factors being its endocrine disrupting properties. It is so prevalent that in a survey conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Triclosan was found in the urine of 75% of Americans over the age of 5.

Triclosan is a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals that is suspected of causing cancer in humans. Dioxins, PCBs, chlorophenols and many other pesticides are categorized as persistent organic pollutants. They accumulate to higher concentration levels with each step up the food chain. Once these pollutants are absorbed into fat cells it is extremely challenging to remove them. Triclosan is one of these chemicals and with people at the top of the food chain, the risks are high.

Triclosan has been strongly linked to the following effects on human health:
Abnormal cell growth

Abnormalities with the endocrine system

Birth defects

Carcinogenic effects

Muscle weakness

Unhealthy weight loss

Where can You Find Triclosan?
Below is a small sampling of the thousands of products containing Triclosan (provided by www.beyondpesticides.org) . This is not to be considered a complete list. Not only are new products introduced every day, but a product’s formula may change without notice.

Become a label reader. Always refer to product labels to determine whether Triclosan is contained in your product. Depending on the company that sells the chemical, Triclosan can also appear in products branded Microban®, Irgasan® (DP 300 or PG 60), or on products labeled “built-in antimicrobial protection.” Some antibacterial soaps use Triclosan’s cousin, triclocarban in place of Triclosan.

Soap:
Dial® Liquid handsoap and bodywash
Tea Tree Therapy™ Liquid Soap
Clearasil® Daily Face Wash
Dermalogica® Skin Purifying Wipes
DermaKleen™ Antibacterial Lotion Soap
CVS Antibacterial Soap
Ajax Antibacterial Dishsoap
Ultra Concentrated Dawn Antibacterial Dishsoap
Kimcare Antibacterial Clear Soap
Bath and Body Works Antibacterial Hand Soaps, Gels and Foaming Sanitizers

Dental Care:
Colgate Total®
Breeze™ Daily Mouthwash
Reach® Antibacterial Toothbrush

Cosmetics:
Garden Botanika® Powder Foundation
Mavala Lip Base
Movate® Skin Litening Cream HQ
Paul Mitchell Detangler Comb
Revlon ColorStay LipSHINE Lipcolor Plus Gloss
Babor Volume Mascara
Phytomer Perfect Visage Gentle Cleansing Milk
Phytomer Hydracontinue Instant Moisture Cream
Bath and Body Works Antibacterial Moisturizing Lotions

Deodorant:
Arm and Hammer® Essentials Natural Deodorant
Queen Helene® Tea Trea Oil Deodorant and Aloe Deodorant
DeCleor Deodorant Stick
Epoch® Deodorant with Citrisomes

First Aid:
SyDERMA® Skin Protectant plus First Aid Antiseptic
Healwell Plantar Fasciitis Night Splint
Solarcaine® First Aid Medicated Spray
Nexcare™ First Aid Skin Crack Care

Universal Cervical Collar with Microban

Kitchenware:
Farberware® Microban Cutting Boards
Franklin Machine Products FMP Ice Cream Scoop SZ 20 Microban
Hobart Semi-Automatic Slicer
Chix® Food Service Wipes with Microban
Compact Web Foot® Wet Mop Heads.

Other Personal Care Products:
Murad Acne Complex® Kit, ®
Diabet-x™ Cream
Scunci Microban Comb
Sportslick Pocket Slick

Clothes:
Biofresh® socks, undergarments, tops and bottoms.

Office and School Products:
Ticonderoga® Pencils with Microban Protection
Avery® Touchgaurd View Binders
C-line® products
Clauss® cutting instruments
Costco® products
Sharp® printing calculators
Westcott® scissors

Other:
Bionare® Cool Mist Humidifier
Deciguard AB® Antimicrobial Ear Plugs
Bauer® Re-Akt hockey helmet and 7500 hockey helment
Miller Paint Acro Pure Interior Paint
Holmes Foot Buddy™ HMH120U Antimicrobial Foot Buddy Foot Warmer
Blue Mountain Wall Coverings
California Paints®
Davis Paint® Perfection
Hirschfield’s Paint®
O’Leary Paint®
EHC AMRail Escalator Handrails
Dupont™ Air Filters
Winix Dehumidifiers
J Cloth® towels
select Quickie cleaning products
Kimberly Clark® WYPALL X80 Towels
Canopy® kitchen towels
ALUF Plastics®
BioEars earplugs
Petmate® LeBistro feeders and waterers
Infantino cart covers and baby carriers
Oreck XL®
Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum™
NuTone® Central Vacuum systems
Rival® Seal-A-Meal® Vacuum Food Sealer
CleenFreek SportsHygiene Yoga Mat
Resilite Sports Products
Rubbermaid® Coolers
Stufitts sports gear
Venture Products® fitness mats
Custom Building Products
DAP®Kwik Seal Plus®
Laticrete
Niasa Biquichamp® mortar grout and sealant
ProAdvanced Products